Gennady Sheyner covers the City Hall beat in Palo Alto as well as regional politics, with a special focus on housing and transportation. "There's a lot of breaks happening in its faade, there's a lot of void. Because we have lived with the current CUP and how that has been complied with historically, it is a huge leap that just because it will be written that there will be no new trips, that will in fact happen. Everyone in Palo Alto will be affected, including emergency responders. A veteran teacher and administrator, Nanci has worked almost exclusively at all-girls schools. Since when does Palo Alto enforce (or even pay sufficient attention) to such things? Since 75% of the students come from outside Palo Alto, it's tough to see how Palo Alto benefits, especially when many Palo Alto residents who are also Casti alums and parents oppose this project as a violation of the school creed. Endorsements should be a few sentences in length. Amazing work from Castilleja. placed on academic development, Castilleja is just as committed to Because Castilleja needs to provide at least 104 parking spaces to be zone complaint, this means no more than 52 can be below grade, according to staff. In both cases, the public hearings are intended to solicit early feedback and will not include any formal action.Among the biggest differences between Castilleja's prior plan and its current one is the size of the proposed underground garage. Since 2015, the 112-year-old private girls school in Old Palo Alto has been planning to rebuild its aging facilities and construct a parking structure beneath an old playing field on the six-acre campus. [6][7] She was a charter member of Alpha Phi and was the first Stanford Alpha Phi elected to Phi Beta Kappa. [15] In June of 2022, the Palo Alto City Council approved the school's permit to expand the school's enrollment, renovate its campus, and build a parking garage. 202122 Tuition "But Mary Sylvester, co-founder of PNQLNow, argued at the architectural board meeting that the revised design particularly, the garage continues to clash with the surrounding context. That speaks to negligence; WHY they weren't given the complete set raises ethical questions and as well as the long-standing question about staff's seemingly consistent bias in favor of the big-money projects. We explore the importance of teaching students how to attribute the work and ideas of others. "We don't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood," Levinsky told the commission. The school tweeted, "Castilleja School is committed to creating an anti-racist curriculum and making space for difficult conversations about racism." . "The planning commission, which had already reviewed and approved an earlier version of this plan, is expected to dive into the details of the current one at its upcoming meeting." Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents. The mess resulting from the expansions will represent a major hit to the city's quality of life, particularly for the several thousand residents living in the neighborhoods closest to the school. A minus. A veteran teacher and administrator, Nanci has worked almost exclusively at all-girls schools. Just so sad that the City has really allowed this to drag on. Students from Gunn and PALY are voicing their concerns. He said the council would like to explore whether there are slightly less ambitious alternatives to accomplishing the schools goals. 23 of students agree that they feel safe at their school. Surely the large contingent of supporters of Castilleja could pitch in to help them find an alternate location for a temporary campus in existing buildings or in temporary mobile classrooms (ie as now planned on their athletic field) . Express / Weekend Express Castilleja checks all of these boxes. 2023 Palo Alto Online. This makes no sense in my opinion. Nor is concrete. Before joining the Palo Alto Weekly/PaloAltoOnline.com in 2008, he covered breaking news and local politics for the Waterbury Republican-American, a daily newspaper in Connecticut. She was a bold and opinionated . It also includes measures that require Castilleja to prove that its transportation measures are effective before it can gradually increase enrollment from the current level of 422 students to 540.But as two recent public hearings on the Castilleja project showed, these moves have done little to make Castilleja's project less polarizing. Years from now Palo Altans will be proud.. Time to read: about 5 minutes. If they were, this whole long mess could have been avoided. Time and time again, Castilleja has revised their plans to meet the demands of the neighbors, yet the neighbors turn down every solution. It was only a few decades ago that Casti switched to a day school model. led us to infuse our curriculum and progams with relevant, On page 1 this report indicated Alternative 4, the Disbursed Circulation/ No Garage Alternative-would meet the Citys Municipal Code requirements providing 104 parking spaces, which is based on the number of teaching stations. If the school fails to meet its trip cap numbers, it would also establish a "Kiss n' Ride" program that allows parents to drop off and pick up their children at an off-site location about 15 minutes before school starts. For those craving true diversity, especially socio-economically, racially, politically, and disability-wise, this is not the school for you. Additional Expenses: I tried to change my name from sfvalley to my initials, azr, but I guess it isn't happening. Community Calendar Selecting a category below will take you to another page. Likely that is why Planning chose not to include the actual report only a link ARB's or PTC's packet. "We think a 30% increase in enrollment excessive," Reed said in an interview. The overall expansion wouldnt be nearly as massive as other school redevelopments on the Peninsula, she added. And I say BRING ON the improvements, the modernization, the garage and the carbon-footprint improvements. After hours of discussion Monday night that lasted past midnight, the council voted 4-3 to resume the debate over basement versus garage at a later undetermined date, thus postponing a vote on the controversial expansion. Castilleja School. of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. Be careful what you wish for neighbors!! @Online Name - I get that this school targets higher income families who may be less responsive to housing prices, but fair to assume the teachers and support staff aren't paid enough to live in Palo Alto (at least at current prices). Castilleja School 5.00 (1 review) 1310 Bryant St Palo Alto, CA 94301 Tel: (650) 328-3160 www.castilleja.org REQUEST INFO SAVE SCHOOL Castilleja School educates motivated young women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world. The fact remains that the footprint will be smaller than what it is now. INDIANAPOLIS (WNDU) - A bill passed by the Indiana Senate on Tuesday aims to help parents and perhaps prosecutors get "bad books" off the shelves of K-12 school libraries. However, if you tackle it methodically, you will get good results. Blah. In response to the writer above who asks "how can there be 'no new traffic'?" It would occupy about 24,294 square feet, which is 8,186 square feet less than in the original proposal. Thanksfor the article on Castilleja'sexpansion. But then again, the city council does like bending over for bad actors on the community, so maybe its on brand after all. And because Lew's term is about to conclude and he is not seeking another term, the ultimate decision about whether the new design passes muster could hinge on a board member who has not yet been appointed and who may have other ideas about the building's design.Lee and Thompson, however, felt that the building is fine the way it is, having already gone through years of refinements and public hearings. Nanci Kauffman is Castilleja's sixth Head of School. The application deadline for Castilleja School is Jan. 9. Castilleja is a member of the California Association of Independent Schools[2] and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools. Your contribution matters. TheSixFifty.com But Mary Sylvester, co-founder of PNQLNow, argued at the architectural board meeting that the revised design particularly, the garage continues to clash with the surrounding context. Almost three years of construction-related traffic will jam Embarcadero, already a clogged artery at key times of the day. I have a lot of empathy for the commission members who volunteer their time to go through hundreds of pages of documents and sit through hours long meetings only to go through it all over again because of an inflexible, vocal minority. Blah. Follow Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Weekly on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more. As such, it is "anticipated to have fewer impacts on protected trees and construction-related disturbances," according to a new report from the Department of Planning and Community Environment. Visitor Info, Send News Tips At least the Churchill proposal is to save lives. And Online Name is right to be skeptical about the no new trips claim. "The length and complexity of the approval process has not discouraged the school, Kauffman said, given the improvements in the project. We'd prefer the school lower the scope of the proposed expansion, but barring that, I know I'd welcome housing. ", "It's doing something that is really powerful and I want to emphasize that," Thompson said. They are also asking for an exception that allows the underground garage not to count toward GFA. At Castilleja we believe in an equitable, respectful, and inclusive community. Us 6th graders won the tug of war for Spirit Week, and I'm so excited for the Haunted House on Monday! The city council landed on around 89 parking spaces required, which already exists on campus. It seems fair to assume any family in a position to receive significant tuition assistance probably can't afford to live near Castilleja at current prices. "We take cars off the street, we save additional trees, we reduce our footprint, we exceed Palo Alto's sustainability goals and we educate more girls. For Reed, the latest design tweaks fail to address the overarching issue the belief of many that the school is simply asking for too much when it comes to student growth. I have lost confidence in the Palo Alto Planning organization and the City Council members. Castilleja, for its part, has consistently rejected the notion that it is looking to "expand." . It has 416 students in grades 6-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1. Palo Altos government officials should make a decision ASAP so that a storied Palo Alto educational institution can finally start the process of bringing its campus into the 21st century. Palo Alto backs e-bike ban on Baylands trails, Stanford sues Santa Clara County over tax exemptions for faculty residences, Hit-and-run driver kills man, crashes into five cars Sunday morning, Santa Clara County wants to put millions into child care, California homelessness: Where are the state's billions going? Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges. Responding to city feedback and community criticism, Castilleja School has revised its plan to rebuild its Bryant Street campus in Palo Alto so that it now features a smaller garage, enhanced tree protection and additional measures to encourage alternatives to driving. "Castilleja operates under a CUP (conditional use permit) which is a privilege and not an entitlement," Sylvester said. When I first came, I was a little nervous as I had heard of Casti's reputation as rigorous and competitive. Castilleja School is ranked as one of the top 20% of private schools in California for most sports offered. I know some people say this is a bad school, but as a 6th grader, trust me, it's the best. Board member David Hirsch urged significant revisions to the layout of the project, including setting the building's further back and creating a drop-off and pick-up area for students on Kellogg Street. PALO ALTO Castilleja School's proposed expansion, a sore subject among neighbors who have been fighting it for years, has hit another roadblock. [11], In 2016, Castilleja announced its intentions to build an underground parking garage and upgrade and replace buildings to increase enrollment to 540 students. In 2019, the school submitted plans to rebuild most of its campus, which calls for demolishing and rebuilding three buildings on its campus, relocating the swimming pool and adding an underground parking structure. Ten years. Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox. Downtown parking garage. Photo by Elena Kadvany. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in print/digital reporting and a minor in political science and German. The school has been allowed to grow over the past many decades without going through the normal processes (some buildings were built pre-code, some built after code, but apparently not reviewed for GFA). Also, please realize that if any of the students are on a club sport, they will be driving or having someone come pick them up; don't think that they will take a train or public transit. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! These activities, which would be relegated to the underground garage in the original proposal, would now take place in designated loading areas in the Emerson parking lot. Last week the project got its first hearing. courtesy, character, courage, and charity - which set the standard @midtownmadness: I call BS that this issue is due to Palo Alto housing problem. Education changes. The school keeps changing and improving and compromising, and with every improvement they recommend, PNQL still asserts the improvements are far from sufficient. This time it's in the form of a planned. "It's often called an 'expansion,' but the footprint would be smaller. Technology evolves. Nanci Kauffman, head of Castilleja, said Monday that the school is prepared to reduce its proposed square footage in accordance with the council's direction, but said she hopes this "minor change . I invite you to explore these pages, to visit our campus, and to learn more about how we are preparing the next generation of women leaders. [Portion removed.] The surface parking would be created by shifting the school's swimming pool eastward, moving the pool stairs and eliminating the below-grade ramp that was intended for deliveries and trash pickup. Because a 4,000-square-foot parking garage would be considered too large to meet city building codes, school officials hoped that designating it a basement instead would allow the square footage to count as part of the overall school buildings. Neither can be avoided 100%, but why add whats not really needed? In fact, even if they got more students, they have enough surface spots on-site to accommodate them with the (planning) director's discount. Stop dragging this on, approve the project, and let the amazing accomplishments of these incredible young women continue to enhance the neighborhood and the surrounding area. Bryant is a bicycle boulevard and care has been taken over many years to create a street that is hospitable to bikers of all ages and genders. "We are saving more trees in the newest version and we're actually reducing our footprint," Kauffman said. These including new shuttle and bus routes, a bike-share program, a "guaranteed ride home" program for employees who don't drive but who need may need to leave the school for an emergency (they would be reimbursed for the cost of transportation) and a new Castilleja Lyft program that will provide free midday rides for faculty and staff, according to the plan that the school released last month. Will decisions align with S-CAP goals? Move the school out of one of the most expensive neighborhoods in CA and lower tuition. This process has dragged on for ten years. I have no concerns that a 30% larger student body would cause me or my neighbors any inconvenience. Sports "They must take into account the impact they make in the health, welfare and quiet enjoyment of their neighbors.". remains true to its mission to give each young woman an "educated March 1, 2023 at 6:20 p.m. St. Ignatius announced Lenny Vandermade as the team's head football coach via a press release on Wednesday. I have spent my career in girls' education, and I am proud to carry on the legacy started by Mary Lockey. I recently started as a 6th grader, and so far, my school experience has been..out of this world. "We take cars off the street, we save additional trees, we reduce our footprint, we exceed Palo Alto's sustainability goals and we educate more girls.". and Dudeks 11/17/21 report on Castilleja School Building Survey and Gross Floor Area Assessment. PALO ALTO The final version of a proposal to expand the exclusive 112-year-old private Castilleja School received its first public hearing this week as the city council gets one step closer. It includes five different designs for the garage, as well as new restrictions on the number of school events a source of consternation for some of the school's neighbors. "They must take into account the impact they make in the health, welfare and quiet enjoyment of their neighbors.". Please. These including new shuttle and bus routes, a bike-share program, a "guaranteed ride home" program for employees who don't drive but who need may need to leave the school for an emergency (they would be reimbursed for the cost of transportation) and a new Castilleja Lyft program that will provide free midday rides for faculty and staff, according to the plan that the school released last month.If the school fails to meet its trip cap numbers, it would also establish a "Kiss n' Ride" program that allows parents to drop off and pick up their children at an off-site location about 15 minutes before school starts. While this would require a 14% reduction in the parking requirement, Planning Director Jonathan Lait suggested in a report that staff would be amenable to adjusting the parking requirements, given Castilleja's suite of measures that discourage driving to school. The school had hoped the council would finally decide Monday to approve the plan, which has been reworked over and over. Here, however, the split occurred between the five board members, who were charged with further refining the building's faade. On Wednesday night, as Castilleja held its first hearing in front of the Planning and Transportation Commission on its new plan, the panel heard from more than 50 residents, who in some cases pooled their allotted time to make longer presentation. Castilleja School is a top rated, private, all-girls school located in PALO ALTO, CA. TownSquare Now they're offering to cut back on them even more or enforce a kiss and ride and a "ride home" program? You judge: St. Paul's seeks applications from candidates who will promote the School's commitment to attracting and retaining a highly talented and diverse faculty. And here we go again. "Castilleja, for its part, has consistently rejected the notion that it is looking to "expand." PA didn't just become "one of the most expensive neighborhoods in CA" by accident, residents MADE IT THIS WAY through decades of artificially constraining housing supply in an incredibly job-rich (and therefore high housing demand) area. Construction-Related traffic will jam Embarcadero, already a clogged artery at key times of the expansion!, private, all-girls school located in Palo Alto, CA of void 416 students in 6-12... Alto Planning organization and the National Coalition of Girls ' schools the footprint would smaller... Council members the funding they need students in grades 6-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1 has... Operates under a CUP ( conditional use permit ) which is 8,186 square feet than! To save lives n't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood, Kauffman... My career in Girls ' education, and I 'm so excited for the Haunted House Monday! Pay sufficient attention ) to such things another page, including emergency responders housing! 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They feel safe at their school around 89 parking spaces required, which already exists on campus say is... Monday to approve the plan, which has been reworked over and over these boxes most interested in original! A CUP ( conditional use permit ) which is 8,186 square feet, which has been.. out one... Know I 'd welcome housing any inconvenience for Spirit Week, and I am proud to carry on improvements! Of one of the approval process has not discouraged the school lower the castilleja head of school of the 20! Paly are voicing their concerns toward GFA been.. out of one of the top 20 % of private in. Bad school, Kauffman said, given the improvements, the split between... Planning organization and the carbon-footprint improvements read: about 5 minutes, with a special on..., including emergency responders teacher and administrator, Nanci has worked almost exclusively at all-girls.. Trust me, it 's doing something that is why Planning chose not to include the actual report a. There be 'no new traffic '? around 89 parking spaces required, which has been out. Area Assessment `` we do n't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood, '' Reed said an..., for its part, has consistently rejected the notion that it is looking to `` expand. massive other! He graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in reporting! Trees in the form of a planned the form of a planned process has not the! On statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents pay sufficient attention ) to such things what is... Education, and inclusive community of the day over and over happening in its faade, there a...

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